Salvatore Puccio 23, is the new race leader and received the coveted Maglia Rosa. After the stage, he spoke to the press:

When did you learn you were the new race leader? (Puccio is on the same time as most of his team-mates. He leads the race because the sum total of his placings in Stage 1 and 2 is lower than that of any of theirs). “It was only two minutes before we celebrated the stage win on the podium that I realized I was the new Maglia Rosa. To tell the truth, we planned to put my team-mate Dario Cataldo in either Maglia Rosa or the Maglia Bianca today. When they told me I was the new Maglia Rosa, I was a bit shocked, but also very, very happy. It all happened so quickly that it hasn’t really sunk in yet and I think it will be hard to sleep tonight.”

The meaning of the Maglia Rosa: “Everyone who ever rides a bike dreams of wearing this jersey. After two years of working hard for the team, today I took a small moment of satisfaction for myself. It’s no secret that the team want the Maglia Rosa later in the race. Of course, I’d like to keep the jersey for many days, but I doubt it will happen.”

Riding the Giro d’Italia: “The Giro wasn’t even in my race programme until a month ago, after the Tour of Flanders. My real dream is to win one of the One-Day Monuments: my favourite is the Tour of Flanders.”